Shoulder decisions — 2017

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is currently rated at 20 percent, effective March 1, 2009. The claim for an earlier effective date has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to September 25, 2012 prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings for his lumbar spine with radiculopathy disability, service connection for a right shoulder disability, and TDIU prior to January 3, 2014.

The Veteran's right shoulder sprain and impingement syndrome are currently rated at 20 percent disabling from June 16, 2010 to December 14, 2016, and from March 1, 2017. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for this condition.,The Veteran's right ankle sprain with laxity warrants a compensable initial rating.

The Veteran's cervical strain with mild degenerative changes at C4-5 and C5-6, lumbar strain, right shoulder disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been rated as 20 percent for the period prior to May 20, 2014. Effective May 20, 2014, a 20 percent rating has been assigned for cervical strain with mild degenerative changes at C4-5 and C5-6.

The Board found that the Veteran's current low back and left shoulder disabilities are not related to his military service, including any in-service injuries or exposure. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's degenerative changes of the thoracolumbar spine are more likely due to natural aging rather than an in-service injury.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder and entitlement to an initial compensable rating for ligamentous injury of the left ankle prior to March 18, 2016, and a rating in excess of 10 percent after that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left shoulder disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and records to address the etiology of his left shoulder condition, low back condition, and cervical spine condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's brain tumor, heart condition, and bilateral shoulder disability are not related to his military service or any in-service chemical exposures. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The decision also denied entitlement to SMC at the housebound rate as there was no single disability rated as 100% disabling or a TDIU rating based on multiple disabilities.

The Board found that arthritis of the bilateral hands and arthritis of the bilateral shoulders are not related to active service, thus denying these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right shoulder radiculopathy is due to or caused by his service-connected cervical spine disability, and thus secondary service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for his eye disability or right shoulder strain at any point during the appeal period.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability, right groin disability, and asthma. The claim for an increased rating for UTI/cystitis was also denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder condition, respiratory condition, and right ankle condition. The decision is based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including new VA examinations to assess the severity of his service-connected right shoulder and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals on all issues, indicating satisfaction with the assigned disability evaluations and requesting that they be finalized.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic disability for the purpose of service connection, and thus denied all three issues.